Index



(No Model.)

J. A. BEST. INDEX.

' No. 602,718. Patented Apr. 19', 1898.

amen/$06 l v'vhwaaow v afaft 3965 NITE STATES I JOHN AUSTIN BEST, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,718, dated April 19, 1898.

Application filed August 14, 1897. Serial No. 648,308. (No model.)

To all whom ii may concern:

Be it known that I,JOHN AUSTIN Bnsna citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to an index adapted more especially for use in connection with books in which a number of names are to be indexed, the object being to provide an index that reduces the time and trouble necessary in making the index, as Well as to afford ready means for finding a particular name therein.

The invention consists in the features of construction hereinafter specifically described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a book provided with an index constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing several of the leaves of abook separated a little distance. Fig. 3 is a perspective view which illustrates the manner in which a name is indexed or found.

Referring now to said drawings, the said leaves of the book are provided with tags or tabs 1 in the usual manner, upon which is printed the alphabet or indexing characters, as will be readily understood. Along the margin of each leaf of the book is printed the alphabet or a series of indexing characters, as shown in the drawings, which are surrounded by a weakened or perforated portion 2, so that the portion of the leaf upon which these indexing characters are printed can be detached from the leaf, it being noted that intervening projections are arranged between these detachable portions. The said projections serve as guides for the fingers for facilitating the opening of the index at the proper place when the detachable portions between them have been removed, as will be clearly understood.

In Fig. 1 the indexing characters are arranged upon the three edges of the leaf, but in the description immediately following the indexing characters at the outer edge will be referred to only. It is understood that these indexing characters are printed upon every page of the book and are arranged so that the same characters on each edge are opposite each other.

To illustrate the manner in which the index is used, it is supposed, for instance, that the first name the indexer has to index is Aaron & Go. The tab with the letter A upon it is first used to open the book at the page where the division for this letter commences, which in this instance is the first page. The name would then be written at the top of the page, and for convenience a check is made opposite the subdivision of the indexing character on the opposite page,which indicates at once when the book is open at this place that names beginning with A and in which the second letter is a are indexed upon this page. Suppose, then, that the next name to be indexed is J IV. Abram. The indexer would open the book with the tab having the letter A and would turn over a sufficient number of pages upon which to index all the names beginning with Aa. In this instance one page is illustrated, and upon the left-hand page, after turning over, this name is indexed as Abram, J. W. The indexer, however, removes the detachable portion upon which the subdivision indexing character B is placed upon the intervening page or pages, so that when it is desired to find the names beginning with Ab it is necessary only to open to the division A and,

by placing the thumb upon the subdivisionletter B, turn over the intervening pages, which can be done very quickly, as the thumb retains all pages after this subdivision-letter The names are indexed after this method, and it is to be understood that should the first name to be indexed begin with Al it can be placed upon the first page of the As and the check set opposite L. Then should the second name to be indexed begin with Ay it could be placed upon the second page and check made opposite the Y upon this page, and the Ys upon the intervening pages detached, as before described. In this way it is seen that the indexer can proceed without reference to the alphabetical order of the names as they are received to be indexed, but can index them in any order, and it is to be seen that any particular name can be found by opening to the division-letter and then placing the thumb or the finger upon the correct subdivision-letter and then turning over the intervening pages, it being noted that the detachable portions in all of the intervening pages are removed, so that the subdivision-letter upon the correct page is the only onethat is seen when the book is open at the correct division.

If it is found that the page allotted to a certain subdivision-letter is filled, the indexer merely continues to turn over the pages until he finds a blank page, after which he again tears out the intervening detachable portion, so that a person in finding the page filled by turning this page over and turning to the next subdivision-letter will find the continuation of this particular letter.

The indexing characters when placed at the top, bottom, and outer edges of the page aiford means for making a second and third subdivision, which is continued in the same manner heretofore described with relation to the outside margin, it being noted, for instance, that the indexing characters at the top edge would indicate the second letter in a name, the indexing characters at the outside edge would indicate the third letter in the name, and those at the bottom the fourth.

It is understood, of course, that these minor arrangements can be varied as found desirable and also that the book can be used as the ordinary index, as the printing of the subdivision characters at the margin of the pages does not interfere therewith.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An index comprising a plurality of pages having detachable portions along the margins thereof, upon which are placed indexing characters, spaces being left between said detachable portions which form projections when the detachable portions are removed, integral with the page.

2. An index comprising a plurality of pages having detachable portions along the margins thereof, upon which are placed indexing characters, the same indexing characters being placed upon each page and the corresponding indexing characters on each page being arranged opposite those on the others, the said detachable portions being formed by weakening or perforating the page, leaving the remainder of the page imperforate and forming spaces between said detachable portions which form projections when the detachable portions are removed, integral with the page.

3. An index comprisingaplurality of pages having divisional indexing-tabs projecting outwardly from the edges of the pages, each of said pages being provided with subdivisional indexing characters placed upon the detachable portions thereof which are separated by spaces which form projections integral with the page when the detachable portions are removed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN AUSTIN BEST.

Witnesses:

A. P. SOHELL, LOUIS G. RANDALL. 

